How to re:Invent, Episode 4 - Packing and Survival Tricks
In this episode of How to re:Invent, I will go over final packing advice and ways to survive the week on-site, and how to get the most out of it.
First of all, I would recommend that you read Episode 1 about Vegas, as it does cover some important aspects of Vegas, like how to get from the airport, how to avoid getting scammed, and many more tricks related to Vegas. I will bring some back in this episode but far from everything.
Let's start with something that is important to know, that will influence what you pack.
Getting Around
It doesn't matter if you use the shuttle, monorail, or ride share, you will still walk a lot. The different venues are massive, and walking just between sessions will pack a good amount of steps. If you are like me, and prefer walking over the shuttle, then 30k steps per day is nothing strange.
When we look at the map of the campus from The re:Invent Page
If you follow the red path, that is a 1-hour walk of 1.6km / 2.6 miles.
Besides walking, your options would be:
Shuttle
AWS provides a free shuttle service that runs between the different venues. This is a good option if you don't feel like walking. The shuttle times will be clearly displayed in the re:Invent app and at each venue. Make sure to check before you board; sometimes walking is faster.
Monorail
There is a monorail that runs along the east side of the Strip between MGM Grand and Sahara. It's free for badge holders; just show your re:Invent badge at the entrance.
For any changes in the services that AWS provides during re:Invent, make sure to check out re:Invent Transportation
Weather
How is the November/December weather in Vegas? I would say it's very unpredictable. I have seen everything from snow to warm sunshine in the same week. The thing to actually plan for is the swing within a single day. Mornings and evenings can be chilly, as low as 5-10°C (40-50°F), and then the afternoon sun pushes it up toward 25°C (75°F). That swing is the whole game, so pack layers rather than just one warm thing. A light jacket plus the re:Invent hoodie covers most of it, and you peel down as the day warms up.
A few things people forget. It rarely rains, but when it does, it really comes down, so a packable poncho or a small umbrella is cheap insurance. The outdoor evening events, rePlay especially, get cold and windy once the sun is gone—colder than the daytime number makes you think—so bring something that blocks wind. And the desert sun is strong at midday even when the air is cool, so sunglasses earn their spot in your bag.
Of course, it all depends on where you're from. Being from Sweden, 15°C (60°F) is perfect t-shirt weather. I'm sure people from warmer places do not agree with that, so check the forecast a few days out and pack for your own definition of cold.
Being in the Desert
It's important to never forget that Vegas is located in the middle of the Nevada desert. That means that the humidity is around 25%, which is very dry air. This hits me hard every year; my skin is dry, my lips get dry, and my airways suffer. One of the best pieces of advice on how to beat that comes from my fellow AWS Hero Monica Colangelo to rent or buy a humidifier for your room. This advice comes from the amazing The re:Invent Queens’ Guide: Tips You Should Know Before Landing in Vegas created by the fantastic Suzana Melo
It's also important to drink plenty of water, but I also make sure to include electrolytes to help the body make use of the water.
Buying Snacks and Water
You could buy your water and snacks in the hotel convenience store. You could. But you shouldn't. They are always overpriced, and the latest Vegas trick is dynamic pricing, where the same bottle costs more during busy hours. Stay away from the hotel minibar too, as that's where you really get fleeced. There is a story from this summer about a guest charged $26 for a single bottle of water from the minibar at Aria.
Instead, make one trip early in the week to CVS, Target, Walgreens, or an ABC store, all of which you'll find up and down The Strip. The ABC stores usually have the best prices, but it varies, so compare. I buy a case of water and a stack of snacks on day one and I'm set for the week.
Beyond water, what I actually stock up on is electrolyte packets for the dry air and a box of snack or protein bars. The free venue meals cover breakfast and lunch, but the afternoon energy crash is real, and grabbing a bar between sessions beats hunting for food when you're running low. During the day I refill the re:Invent water bottle at the stations around the venues instead of buying more. And if you'd rather not haul it all back from the store, most hotels will accept an Amazon or grocery delivery at the front desk.
Packing Tips
With that short introduction to some of the Vegas and re:Invent quirks, let's get into the packing advice. Just remember, this is what I pack to survive; you might, of course, not need it. Still, I think these are some solid pieces of advice from someone who has walked the re:Invent paths more than 10 times now.
Shoes
We kick off the advice with the number 1 thing to bring: comfortable and great walking shoes. As mentioned, I can easily walk 30k steps per day; doing that in uncomfortable shoes will be a nightmare. For all the women reading this, leave the heels at home; trust me, you will not need them.
I always bring more than one pair, normally I pack 3 or 4 pairs. What this does is that I can rotate shoes every day and my feet thank me. One of the pairs is always a pair of black comfortable sneakers; those are great if you get invited to a fancier dinner or party.
Lip Balm and Moisturizer
This I can't survive without! I always pack a large bottle of moisturizer, and it's always empty when I go home. That can be because my skin tends to get very dry very easily, but for sure bring it. There are so many different lip balms on the market; bring whatever works for you and your lips, just make sure to bring it.
Electrolytes
I pack and bring some form of electrolytes to help with hydration, both from the dry air but also a bit too much partying....
Reusable Water Bottle
Now, this is not something I pack and bring. As there has always been a water bottle included in the re:Invent swag kit, I bring it up to remind you all to use it! There are water stations throughout the venues; just carry the bottle with you and refill it. Perfect to add your electrolytes in as well.
Coffee Travel Cup
I can't stand the paper cups that most coffee is served in, so I bring my own thermos travel cup that I can get coffee in. The cup I have also has a built-in French press, which means I can brew my own coffee in my room every morning. Which for a coffeeholic like me, is a lifesaver!
Antibacterial Hand Sanitizing Wipes
This! Together with hand sanitizing spray/gel is something I always carry with me. Clean hands are one of the best ways to stay healthy and avoid the dreadful conference cold. Pack extra and share with friends!
Hoodie and Jacket
The re:Invent swag pack normally includes a hoodie. I bring an additional one so I can alternate, and to be honest, nothing beats the 2016 hoodie with a zip pocket! Besides that hoodie, I bring a light jacket that can withstand wind in a good way. I have found that the wind during outdoor events like re:Play is what makes me the most cold.
Earplugs
What? I can hear you? Exactly! Casinos are loud, venues are loud, the expo is loud, re:Play is loud. It feels like everything in Vegas is just a bit louder than normal. And that's why I always bring my earplugs. I bring a pair of heavy-duty concert plugs for re:Play and more conversation types for everything else. You can bring any type of earplugs; I use the Loop Earplugs as I feel that they are very comfortable and come in a great carrying case that I can put on my lanyard.
Travel Adapter, Power Bank, and Charging Cords
If I had a dollar for every time someone asked to borrow a charging cable, power bank, or travel adapter, I would be rich by now. So before you leave home, double-check that you got your adapter, if you live outside of the US, that is, and your charging cable. Running out of battery mid-day during re:Invent is not fun, and the number of outlets is not that many. You will always see that person sitting on the floor hogging a wall outlet. Other advice around this is to put your phone on power-saving mode.
Don't Fill Your Bag
Leave room in your bag for swag 😎
Quick Packing Checklist
- 🥿 Comfortable shoes (2–3 pairs)
- 🧴 Moisturizer + lip balm
- 💧 Electrolytes + reusable water bottle
- ☕️ Coffee travel mug
- 🧼 Hand sanitizer + wipes
- 🧥 Hoodie + light jacket
- 🎧 Earplugs (Loop or similar)
- 🔌 Travel adapter + power bank + cables
- 🎒 Extra space in your bag for swag
Prepare Your Devices
A bit of tech prep goes a long way:
- Update your laptop and phone before traveling; no forced reboots mid-session.
- Download the re:Invent app and sync your schedule early.
- Add session room numbers and shuttle stops to your calendar with alerts.
Eat and Relax
Starting off with food and breaks. The first couple of years, I was really good at taking breaks and not packing my schedule. I had lunch every day, sat down with strangers, and had a good chat. Then around year 3-4, I started to pack my schedule to cram as many sessions as possible; it was also around this time that they started with take-away boxes for lunch. I can tell you, that was a big mistake on my part! So don't be like young me and skip food and breaks; don't pack your days! You need the energy to absorb all the new learning!
I recommend a good breakfast, sitting down for lunch, and taking at least one break in the afternoon—grab a coffee and a snack!
I have a really good story about what taking breaks can lead to. My very first re:Invent in 2016, I was really new to AWS; we started building our project at the end of 2015. Our solution included the long-lost service CloudSearch, and we had some problems with it. My colleague and I had lunch in the main lunch area at Venetian, which is an experience all its own—it's huge. We sat down with a stranger at a table and started chatting. It turned out he was the PM and original engineer who built CloudSearch, and all our problems got solved right there at that lunch table!
Why do I tell you that? You never know who you will meet if you just slow down, have lunch, and join strangers at re:Invent.
Breakfast
Buffet-style breakfast with different cold and hot options; it's decent but nothing fancy.
Time: ⏱️ Served Monday to Friday 07:00 - 09:00 AM with an exception for Tuesday when it's served 06:30 - 08:30 AM, due to the keynote. Venues: 📍 Caesars Forum, Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, The Venetian, Wynn
Lunch
Same as breakfast, this is a buffet-style serving. The lunch is also great but nothing fancy; they serve different things every day like pasta or tacos. One tip I have regarding lunch is that the different venues serve different food, and I find it interesting to try lunch in a different venue every day.
Time: ⏱️ Served Monday to Thursday 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Venues: 📍 Caesars Forum, Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, The Venetian, Wynn
Afternoon Coffee & Lounges
Plan for breaks, go outside, breathe some fresh air, and recharge. If you’re certified, visit the Certification Lounge—comfy seating, espresso machines, snacks, and a quiet space. There are also Builder Lounges and Community Lounges where you can meet other attendees (and AWS Heroes). Breaks are important, and often you meet the most interesting people in these areas!
Be on Time
Vegas and re:Invent don't wait for anyone, so be on time. I can't stress this enough. Sessions start on time, and if you're not there, you might not get in.
If you have reserved a seat for a session, you must be in the room and scanned in 10 minutes before the session starts. I have seen people arriving at the reserved seating line 11 minutes before start, and when they get up front, being told "sorry" since they were not scanned in 10 minutes before. So be there on time!
Visit the Expo Early
The Expo is a massive area with hundreds of vendors and sponsors showing off their products and services. It can be overwhelming to visit it all, so my best advice is to visit it early in the week, preferably Tuesday. The Expo opens at 4:00 PM on Monday with the Welcome Reception. If you plan to have real vendor conversations, do it before everyone’s tired.
I know swag can be fun, but I would recommend you only grab swag you’ll actually use, and be kind to the environment 🌍
Sleep
Sleep beats FOMO every time.
I know this can sound boring, but sleep does matter. Sleep beats FOMO all the time. I'm the worst person to give this advice, or maybe the perfect person, as I always get too little sleep each year, and by the end of the week, I'm exhausted. So, don't be like me—get your normal hours of sleep. If you travel from outside of North America, jet lag will probably also impact you.
Don't Skip After-Hour Events
After-hour events are a great way to network, learn new things, and have fun. AWS hosts several evening events like the Welcome Reception (Monday) and Networking Receptions (Tuesday & Wednesday). Sponsors and vendors also arrange a ton of parties that you can attend to get free food and drinks; find them at Conference Parties.
But be reasonable—remember sleep 😉
rePlay
On Thursday night, re:Invent goes out with a bang with the legendary re:Play party. On the main stage, you will find some of the best DJs in the world; if you like dancing, this is the place to be. There will be free food and drinks during the party, though the lines can sometimes be very long.
The party will take place outside at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds; it can be very chilly, so dress accordingly.
Bring your hoodie, jacket, and those earplugs again!
Shuttle buses run from the venues to the party, or you can take the monorail. I normally grab the monorail (AWS often covers monorail fares).
Summary of What to Expect Day by Day
- Sunday: Registration opens
- Monday: Registration, Expo opens, Welcome Reception
- Tuesday: Keynotes, sessions, evening networking events
- Wednesday: Advanced sessions, community meetups
- Thursday: Security-focused sessions, plus the re:Play party
- Friday: Final sessions, recovery, brunch, and travel day
Final Words
This was the fourth episode in “How to re:Invent.” I hope it helps you prepare, pack smart, and truly enjoy the week. There's still more to come, including security now that re:Inforce joins re:Invent, and what to do once you get home.
After a decade of attending, I’ve learned that re:Invent isn’t just about sessions or announcements; it’s about connecting, sharing stories, and walking away inspired to build something new.
So pack smart, stay hydrated, take breaks, and remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
See you all in Vegas! Send me a message on LinkedIn if you’d like to meet up!
As Werner says: Now go build!